Written by Jeff McLane at Philly.com
Eagles tackle Lane Johnson was suspended by the NFL pending an appeal, league sources said.
The appeal hearing is scheduled for Oct. 4 and shortly thereafter a neutral arbitrator will render a decision. Johnson will play on Sunday against the Steelers. The Eagles have a bye the following week.
If the arbitrator upholds the suspension, Johnson will be suspended for the next ten games, starting with the Lions game on Oct. 9. He would be eligible to return to the team on Dec. 12 and play in the final three games of the regular season.
A NFL spokesman said the league office had no comment.
“Until I hear from the league office Lane’s my starting right tackle,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said during his Tuesday news conference.
Johnson failed a drug test for a banned substance. It would be his second offense. He was suspended for four games in 2014.
Johnson was first told of the failed test in late July near the start of training camp. But he continued to play and started in the first two games of the season as he awaited the results of the B sample. He learned before last night’s 29-14 victory over the Bears that the B sample confirmed the A sample.
Johnson said that he used a supplement that he thought was approved by the NFL after he checked with “Aegis” – a mobile phone app that was provided by the Players Association. He blamed the union for endorsing the app and said that it “does not stand up for players.”
The NFLPA said that it doesn’t approve of supplements or substances.
If Johnson were to lose the appeal, the Eagles would have to shuffle their offensive line. They prepared for the possibility during the preseason by moving left guard Allen Barbre to right tackle and initially promoting rookie Isaac Seumalo to left guard.
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